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HMS, HIC 2013 HSC 29b

How are young people's priorities and values influenced by aspects of their development?   (12 marks)

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  • Young people’s health priorities and values change dramatically during adolescence as a result of multiple developmental influences that shape their understanding and decision-making processes.
  • Physical development affects health priorities through changing body awareness and self-image concerns. Puberty creates heightened focus on appearance and peer acceptance, leading to increased emphasis on physical attractiveness over overall health. Growth spurts require increased nutritional needs, yet social pressures often result in poor dietary choices and disordered eating patterns. Sexual maturation introduces new health considerations including reproductive health education and risk-taking behaviours that previous generations faced differently.
  • Cognitive development enables more complex health reasoning but also creates overthinking and anxiety about health decisions. Abstract thinking capacity allows understanding of long-term health consequences, yet brain development patterns mean impulse control remains limited until mid-twenties. This results in contradictory behaviours where young people understand health risks but still engage in dangerous activities like substance use, reckless driving, or unprotected sexual behaviour.
  • Social development significantly influences health values through peer relationships and independence seeking behaviours. Peer acceptance becomes the primary concern, often overriding parental health teachings and family traditions. Social media exposure amplifies peer pressure and creates unrealistic health standards and body image expectations. The desire for independence leads to rejection of family health practices whilst developing personal health identity and autonomy.
  • Emotional development impacts health priorities through identity formation and self-worth struggles during adolescence. Mental health awareness increases significantly, yet emotional volatility makes consistent healthy choices difficult to maintain. Stress management becomes crucial as academic pressures, social expectations, and future uncertainties intensify.
  • Cultural and technological influences reshape health values compared to previous generations dramatically. Digital connectivity provides instant health information access but also exposes young people to misinformation and conflicting advice.
Show Worked Solution
  • Young people’s health priorities and values change dramatically during adolescence as a result of multiple developmental influences that shape their understanding and decision-making processes.
  • Physical development affects health priorities through changing body awareness and self-image concerns. Puberty creates heightened focus on appearance and peer acceptance, leading to increased emphasis on physical attractiveness over overall health. Growth spurts require increased nutritional needs, yet social pressures often result in poor dietary choices and disordered eating patterns. Sexual maturation introduces new health considerations including reproductive health education and risk-taking behaviours that previous generations faced differently.
  • Cognitive development enables more complex health reasoning but also creates overthinking and anxiety about health decisions. Abstract thinking capacity allows understanding of long-term health consequences, yet brain development patterns mean impulse control remains limited until mid-twenties. This results in contradictory behaviours where young people understand health risks but still engage in dangerous activities like substance use, reckless driving, or unprotected sexual behaviour.
  • Social development significantly influences health values through peer relationships and independence seeking behaviours. Peer acceptance becomes the primary concern, often overriding parental health teachings and family traditions. Social media exposure amplifies peer pressure and creates unrealistic health standards and body image expectations. The desire for independence leads to rejection of family health practices whilst developing personal health identity and autonomy.
  • Emotional development impacts health priorities through identity formation and self-worth struggles during adolescence. Mental health awareness increases significantly, yet emotional volatility makes consistent healthy choices difficult to maintain. Stress management becomes crucial as academic pressures, social expectations, and future uncertainties intensify.
  • Cultural and technological influences reshape health values compared to previous generations dramatically. Digital connectivity provides instant health information access but also exposes young people to misinformation and conflicting advice.

♦♦ Mean mark 49%.

HMS, HIC EQ-Bank 60 MC

Which of the following BEST describes a key developmental difference between current and previous generations of young people?

  1. The timing of puberty and physical development.
  2. The process of exploring personal identity.
  3. The ability to access information that accelerates maturity.
  4. The development of the prefrontal cortex.
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\(C\)

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  • C is correct. Today’s young people have access to global information through technology, accelerating their exposure to adult concepts and information.

Other options:

  • A is incorrect because the timing and process of puberty and physical development has remained relatively consistent across generations.
  • B is incorrect as exploring personal identity is a consistent developmental process across generations
  • D is incorrect since prefrontal cortex development continues until the mid-20s for all young people regardless of generation.

HMS, HIC EQ-Bank 70

Outline THREE developmental changes that remain consistent for young people across different generations despite societal changes.   (3 marks)

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  • Physical maturation during adolescence remains consistent, with both males and females experiencing similar body changes (height increases, hormonal changes) regardless of generation.
  • Exploration of personal values and career interests occurs during adolescence across all generations as young people develop their identity.
  • Brain development, particularly the prefrontal cortex responsible for decision-making, continues to develop until mid-20s for all young people regardless of generation.
Show Worked Solution
  • Physical maturation during adolescence remains consistent, with both males and females experiencing similar body changes (height increases, hormonal changes) regardless of generation.
  • Exploration of personal values and career interests occurs during adolescence across all generations as young people develop their identity.
  • Brain development, particularly the prefrontal cortex responsible for decision-making, continues to develop until mid-20s for all young people regardless of generation.

HMS, HIC EQ-Bank 69

Outline THREE ways that developmental stages influence the health of young people today compared to previous generations.   (3 marks)

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  • Technology has accelerated young people’s exposure to global information despite still being developmentally in childhood. This causes young people to mature differently than previous generations.
  • Puberty and physical development remain similar across generations (voice deepening, growth spurts, etc.), but social development is affected by modern influences like social media.
  • Prefrontal cortex development (responsible for decision-making) continues similarly in young people today until their mid-20s. However, today’s young people face different stressors when making decisions due to increased information access and social pressures.
Show Worked Solution
  • Technology has accelerated young people’s exposure to global information despite still being developmentally in childhood. This causes young people to mature differently than previous generations.
  • Puberty and physical development remain similar across generations (voice deepening, growth spurts, etc.), but social development is affected by modern influences like social media.
  • Prefrontal cortex development (responsible for decision-making) continues similarly in young people today until their mid-20s. However, today’s young people face different stressors when making decisions due to increased information access and social pressures.

HMS, HIC 2024 HSC 28aii

Explain how the developmental stage of a young person’s life can cause their motivation AND values to vary.   (5 marks)

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  • Brain development during adolescence causes changes in thinking abilities and decision-making capacity.
  • This leads to shifts from concrete to abstract reasoning, where 13-year-olds value immediate rewards like gaming, while 17-year-olds prioritise long-term goals like university entry.
  • This demonstrates how cognitive growth directly transforms what young people find motivating and important.
  • Identity formation triggers increased peer influence during teenage years.
  • The result is values shifting from family-centred to friend group-focused priorities.
  • For instance, when teenagers seek independence, they adopt friends’ music tastes or political views to fit in.
  • This shows a clear connection between developmental need for belonging and changing value systems.
  • Approaching physical maturity creates new motivations through hormonal changes.
  • This occurs because puberty increases interest in romantic relationships and body image concerns.
  • The underlying reason is hormonal changes trigger desires for social acceptance, motivating gym attendance or dieting behaviours.
  • These elements work together to reshape priorities from childhood interests toward adult-focused goals.
Show Worked Solution
  • Brain development during adolescence causes changes in thinking abilities and decision-making capacity.
  • This leads to shifts from concrete to abstract reasoning, where 13-year-olds value immediate rewards like gaming, while 17-year-olds prioritise long-term goals like university entry.
  • This demonstrates how cognitive growth directly transforms what young people find motivating and important.
  • Identity formation triggers increased peer influence during teenage years.
  • The result is values shifting from family-centred to friend group-focused priorities.
  • For instance, when teenagers seek independence, they adopt friends’ music tastes or political views to fit in.
  • This shows a clear connection between developmental need for belonging and changing value systems.
  • Approaching physical maturity creates new motivations through hormonal changes.
  • This occurs because puberty increases interest in romantic relationships and body image concerns.
  • The underlying reason is hormonal changes trigger desires for social acceptance, motivating gym attendance or dieting behaviours.
  • These elements work together to reshape priorities from childhood interests toward adult-focused goals.

♦ Mean mark 53%.

HMS, HIC EQ-Bank 051

Explain how developmental stages have remained similar for young people across generations, despite differences in their life experiences.   (5 marks)

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*Language highlighting the cause-effect relationship is bolded in the answer below.

  • Physically, both modern and past generations experience puberty. This occurs because biological maturation follows genetic programming. As a result, height spurts and hormonal changes remain universal experiences.
  • Emotionally, young people across generations develop self-identity. This happens when adolescents explore values and beliefs. This process ensures identity formation occurs consistently, though contexts differ.
  • Brain development remains consistent. The reason for this is the prefrontal cortex develops until mid-20s in all humans. This leads to similar decision-making and impulse control challenges. This demonstrates why risky behaviours peak universally.
  • Adolescents experience similar relationship developments. This is due to hormonal changes triggering romantic interests. These elements work together to create predictable attraction patterns.
  • To put it simply, while technology creates different environments, fundamental processes persist. This shows a clear connection between biological programming and consistent adolescent experiences. In other words, bodies and brains develop similarly despite changing contexts.
Show Worked Solution

*Language highlighting the cause-effect relationship is bolded in the answer below.

  • Physically, both modern and past generations experience puberty. This occurs because biological maturation follows genetic programming. As a result, height spurts and hormonal changes remain universal experiences.
  • Emotionally, young people across generations develop self-identity. This happens when adolescents explore values and beliefs. This process ensures identity formation occurs consistently, though contexts differ.
  • Brain development remains consistent. The reason for this is the prefrontal cortex develops until mid-20s in all humans. This leads to similar decision-making and impulse control challenges. This demonstrates why risky behaviours peak universally.
  • Adolescents experience similar relationship developments. This is due to hormonal changes triggering romantic interests. These elements work together to create predictable attraction patterns.
  • To put it simply, while technology creates different environments, fundamental processes persist. This shows a clear connection between biological programming and consistent adolescent experiences. In other words, bodies and brains develop similarly despite changing contexts.

HMS, HIC EQ-Bank 042 MC

What generational group are people born approximately 1996 and 2013 considered to be part of?

  1. Generation Y
  2. Baby Boomers
  3. Generation Z
  4. Generation Alpha
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\(C\)

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  • C is correct because Generation Z were born approximately 1996-2013.

Other options:

  • A is incorrect as Generation Y were born approximately 1981-95.
  • B is incorrect as Baby Boomers were born approximately 1946-64.
  • D is incorrect as Generation Alpha were born approximately 2014-25.

HMS, HIC EQ-Bank 038 MC

The developmental stage of adolescence in current and previous generations is best characterised by:

  1. Identical physical changes but completely different social expectations.
  2. Consistent physical maturation processes with varying sociocultural contexts affecting identity development.
  3. Faster physical development in contemporary youth but slower emotional maturation.
  4. Reduced importance of peer relationships with increased family influence.
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\(B\)

Show Worked Solution
  • B is correct. While physical maturation processes (puberty, brain development) remain biologically consistent across generations, the sociocultural contexts in which young people develop their identities have changed significantly.

Other options:

  • A is incorrect because social expectations have evolved but aren’t “completely different.”
  • C is incorrect as it lacks evidence for faster physical development.
  • D is incorrect as it contradicts evidence showing peer relationships remain highly influential for young people.

\(\Rightarrow B\)